Holder for police club



Dec. 12, 1967 E. ANKETELL 3,357,065

HOLDER FOR POLICE CLUB rileduan. 24, 196e 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. rfa/n.51 mte/ @J-Lw sw l Dec. 12, 1967 E. ANKETELL 3,357,065

HOLDER FOR POLICE CLUB I y Filed Jan. 24, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f j a if /Z )j 22) i j u' v v' u nl i?. I Il Iu 11| |I J II 'I ffy-f Z ,2j K fg/ j fr W United States Patent Olice 3,357,555 Patented Dec. 12, i967 3,357,065 HLDER FOR POLICE CLUB John E. Anketell, Fitzwilliam, N.H. 03447 Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,536 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-81) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Holder for attaching a police billy club or night stick, provided with its usual safety thong, to the inner surface of a vehicle, such that the club may readily be removed from the holder by a simple pull but only by an informed person.

These clubs are commonly generally cylindrical; of a diameter of approximately 1% inches; and of a length of the order of 22 inches-approximately one-third of which is taken up by the handle. When carried by a police oiicer during street patrol duty, the club is supported from his belt in a holster or similar device so that it hangs down in generally parallel relation to his leg where it causes but little inconvenience-its handle being uppermost so that it may be grasped conveniently and withdrawn for use. However, when the officer is driving or riding in a cruising car, the above means for carrying the club is inconvenient if not impossible. On the other hand, it is imperative that the club be instantly and conveniently available to the oilicer even when he is driving the car himself-for example, if he be taking a prisoner, who may be of criminal or violent type, to the station house or other place of confinement. The present invention concerns a holder or support for use (in particular in a police patrol vehicle) for supporting a police club in convenient position and so that the club is available for instant grasp by the oiiicers hand, but with provision whereby the club is normally so restrained that it cannot be withdrawn from the holder simply by a pull, thus making it impossible for a prisoner, by stealth, to obtain possession of it and use it as a weapon. However, in

.accordance with the present invention provision is made whereby the club may be withdrawn by rst manipulate ing a release device, whose mode of operation would not be apparent to the uninitiated, but whose manipulation does not appreciably delay removal of the 'club by'a properly informed person.

The object of the invention is to provide a holderfor the above purpose and having the characteristics just about outlined and which is simple in construction; easily mounted, for example, at the inner side of the door of a police cruiser;l and which is inexpensive and rugged, and reliable with respect to its intended mode of use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the inside of the left-hand front door of an automobile, for example a police cruiser, showing a club mounted in a holder, according to the present invention, attached to the inside surface of the door;

FIG. '2 is a view, to larger scale, showing the front side of the holder, omitting the club, that is to say, the side which is exposed to view when mounted on the door;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the holder of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section, to larger scale, on the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of FIG. 2, but omitting the right-hand club-supporting clip;

FIG. 6 is a section, similar to FIG. 4, but showing a club, to substantially normal size, mounted therein;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the holder arranged to support a club at the inside of the right-hand front door of the automobile;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation, showing a portion of the customary thong which is attached to the club near the junction of the handle with the body portion of the club;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic, fragmentary, plan vew showing the mode of interengaging the thong with the retaining device;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of a holder device generally similar to that of FIG. 2, but of a modied construction; and

FIG. 1l is a plan view of the device of FIG. 9.

Referring to the drawings, in particular FIG. l, the character D indicates the left-hand front door of an automobile, in particular the door of a police cruiser, having the hinges H, the handle E and the usual Window G, while the character C designates a police club supported (by the holder of the present invention) at the interior of the door with the axis of the club substantially horizontal and the handle 20 of the club directed forwardly. Referring 'to FIGS. 2 and 3, character R designates a xture comprising an elongate rigid strip 21 of materal, for example, stainless steel and which may, for example, be of a width, vertically, approximating the diameter of the club to be supported and of a length which may approximate or be slightly less than that of the club, and which is provided with holes 22 near its opposite ends for the reception of fastener elements such as screws or bolts, for securing it to the door of the automobile. Sheet steel of the order of I; of an inch in thickness is appropriate for making the strip 21.

Two spring clips 23a and 231) are secured to the supporting strip 21 at equidistances from the opposite ends of the strip; for example, assuming that the strip is 19 inches long, then these clips might be spaced 31/4` inches from each end of the stripthese dimensions being cited merely by way of example and without intended limitation.

The spring clips as here illustrated are of a kind more fully disclosed in the patent to Szoke, 2,795,834, dated .lune 18, 1957, such clips having been found useful and effective for the intended functioning of the device herein disclosed. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of the specific clips thus identified, but is to be regarded as inclusive of the use of any type of spring clip having suitable functional characteristics. Each of the clips, thus suggested, is of generally U-shape (FIG. 4), consisting of a single length of resilient metal, shaped to provide a base portion 24 (which is convex forwardly as one views the holder from the front) and forwardly extending resilient arms 25a and 25b which are of such shape as firmly but resiliently to grip an article, for example, a police club, of more or less cylindrical transverse section interposed between them. The base portion 24 of each clip is provided with a central hole for the reception of a screw 26 having threaded engagement with a corresponding hole inthe base member 21. In FIG. 6 the arms 25a and 25h of the spring clip are shown aswidely spread apart to receive between them, with resilient gripping force, the club C shown in FIG. 6 to full scale.

The club here shown, like mos-t clubs of this general type, is provided, at a point near the inner end of its handle portion 20 (FIG. 8), that is to say, near the junction of the handle portion 20 with the body portion P, with a flexible safety thong T, usually of soft leather, which is Wrapped around the club to form two or more turns, as shown in FIG. 8, and then tied tightly to form a knot K (FIG. 8), the extending end portions of the thong Ibeing tied `together at K2 (FIG. 9) to form a long loop I (FIG. 9) through which the user may pass his arm so that he will not lose the club if it shoul-d slip from his grasp. In accordance with the present invention, this thong is made use of as one element of a retaining device for preventing withdrawal of the club from the clips 23a and 2313 except by a person informed as to the method of releasing the club. Thus, for cooperation with the thong (to provide for such retention of the club) there is a spring clip Z which is secured to the front side of the supporting strip 21, as Iby screws 27 (FIG. 5) so that its upper portion projects above the upper edge of the strip 21, this clip being located at a point (longitudinally of the holder) between the location of the wrapping turns of the thong T and the spring clip 23h. This clip Z (FIG. 5) comprises a pair of resilient :fingers 28 and 29 which are attached to the strip 21 by the screws 27 as just described. These strips 2S and 29 are convexly curved toward each other at their lower end portions as indicated at 30 so that when the screws 27 are tightened, the strips 28 and 29 are resiilently drawn toward each other more or less, according to the tightening of the screws. Above the portions which receive the screws v27, the two strips are curved concavely toward each other to form a chamber W for the reception of the thong T, and then at their upper ends are reversely curved at 31 to provide guiding entrance lips 31 to facilitate the entry of the thong into the chamber W between the spring iingers.

In the use of this device (and assuming that the club has been forced between the larms of the spring clips 23a and 23h and desirably positioned so that the knot K (FIG. 8) is uppermost on the club) the person responsible for securing the club in position takes the portion 35 (FIG. 9) of the thong which leads from the knot K and wraps it about both parts 28 and 29 of the clip Z and then passes it down betwen the lips 31 of the spring fingers 2S and 29, drawing this length of thong down between the fingers until it is located within the chamber W (FIG. he fthen, preferably, carries the other length 36 of the thong extending from the knot K down between the fingers 28 and 29 into the chamber W. When the thong has been placed and gripped between the fingers 28 and 29, the length of thong leading from the clip Z to the knot K is so short that were one to grasp the handle of the club and try to pull it out of the spring clips 23a and 23b, such movement would be prevented because of the inextensive length of thong between the club and the clip Z. However, if a person, informed as to the proper procedure, wishes to withdraw the club from the clips, he merely grasps the loop portion of the thong which leads to the clip Z and by a sudden upward pull withdraws the thong from the clip Z. If the pull be continued with substantial force, it will not only free the club from the clip Z but also pull the club forwardly from out of the adjacent spring clip 23b, thus permitting him to grasp the handle of the club and completely withdraw it from the holder.

By this arrangement it is made substantially impossible for a prisoner, by stealth, to reach around the officer driving the oar, seize the club and pull it from the holder for even if he were to notice the thong, it would hardly occur to lhim that he must first disengage that from the clip Z and even if that did occur to him, the manipulative action necessary to disengage it from the clip would be almost certain to notify the officer of what was portending.

While the type of clip here suggested, that is to say, the clip Z, has been 'found highly effective for the desired purpose, it is to be understood that any equivalent device, whereby the thong may be secured temporarily in a position to prevent withdrawal of the club, but such as to enable the authorized person to disengage the thong instantly, are to be regarded as within the scope of the invention.

The device here disclosed is such that, as illustrated in FIG. 7, it might as well be mounted on -the right-hand front door of the automobile, it being noted that because the secured spring clips are removable from the strip 21, they may be relatively relocated as shown in FIG. 7, so that the handle 20 of the club will be directed forwardly, with the thong T properly located relatively to the spring clip Z.

In FIGS. l0 and 1l a slight modification is illustrated wherein one of the club-supporting spring clips, for example, the spring clip 23h is provided with an integral extension' E which constitutes a guard to prevent one from grasping the end of the club and pulling it out of the spring clips.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have been disclosed by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications failing within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for a police club when not in use, said holder comprising an elongate rigid fixture designed to be attached `by fastening means to the interior of a vehicle door, said fixture comprising an elongate rigid member carrying spaced supporting elements operative to support a club with its handle conveniently exposed to be gripped by the hand of an occupant of the vehicle, said supporting element being of a character such that, except for the provision of restraining means, the club could be freely removed from said supporting elements -by a mere pulling force applied to the club, and restraining means normally operative to prevent such removal of the club from the supports except by a person informed as to how to render said restraining means inoperative, characterized in that the spaced supporting elements are U-shaped spring clips fixed to the support, each clip comprising resilient arms shaped to receive and to grip a club forced between them but to permit the club to be pulled from between them in response to the application to the club of a sufiicient withdrawing force, said restraining means comprising a flexible thong which tightly embraces the club, the thong including an open loop portion, further characterized in that the means for releasably preventing withdrawal of the club from the spring clips comprises a part, carried by the support, which normally cooperates with the thong to prevent such motion of the club, relatively to the support, ias to permit the club to be withdrawn yfrom the spring clips.

2. A holder according to claim 1, further characterized in that the means which cooperates with the thong, so as normally to prevent withdrawal of the club from the spring clips, comprises a device fixed to the support, which comprises relatively movable, resilient fingers between which a portion of the thong may be inserted and resilently gripped by said fingers thereby preventing withdrawal of the club from between the spring clips until the thong has been released from between said fingers.

3. The combination according to claim 2, further characterized in that the device comprising the spring fingers, between which a portion of the thong may be inserted, is so devised that a sudden pull, applied to the thong, serves first to release the 'thong from between said fingers and o then to pull the club rfrom the spring clips.

4. In combination, a police club comprising a handle portion and a flexible thong tightly embracing the club adjacent to the inner end of the handle portion, a holder for the club comprising a rigid support, spaced spring clips mounted on the support operative .to receive and to hold the club with resilient gripping action, although permitting its removal by the application of sulicient pulling force to the club, and retaining means, cooperable with the thong, to prevent removal of the club from said spring clips except by a person infomed as to how to render bthe retaining means inelfeotive.

5. The combination according to claim 4, further characterized in thlat lthe retaining means and the thong are so constructed and arranged that while cooperating, to prevent removal of the club from the spring clips, a pulling force applied to the thong and exerted in the proper direction, sufces to render the retaining means inoperative and to disengage the club from the spring clips.

6. A holder according to claim 4, further characterized in thlat that clxubasupporting spring clip which is the nearer bo the free end of the 'body portion lof a olulb mounted in the holder compri-ses a guard operative to prevent endwise Withdrawal of the club from the spring o'lips.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Pinks 24-257 Cushman 224-37 'Boehm 224-37 Weaver 211--67 Mliller 211-67 Dilthey.

Duncan 211-63 Szoke 24S-316.5 X Miller 211-63 X DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

4. IN COMBINATION, A POLICE CLUB COMPRISING A HANDLE PORTION AND A FLEXIBLE THONG TIGHTLY EMBRACING THE CLUB ADJACENT TO THE INNER END OF THE HANDLE PORTION, A HOLDER FOR THE CLUB COMPRISING A RIGID SUPPORT, SPACED SPRING CLIPS MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT OPERATIVE TO RECEIVE AND TO HOLD THE CLUB WITH RESILIENT GRIPPING ACTION, ALTHOUGH PERMITTING ITS REMOVAL BY THE APPLICATION OF SUFFICIENT PULLING FORCE TO THE CLUB, AND RETAINING MEANS, COOPERABLE WITH THE THONG, TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF THE CLUB FROM SAID SPRING CLIPS EXCEPT BY A PERSON INFORMED AS TO HOW TO RENDER THE RETAINING MEANS INEFFECTIVE. 